Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) is close to completing a Pangasius processing plant in Viet Nam, which is set to open by the start of 2012.

This will give the company, listed on the Bangkok stock exchange and the world’s largest shrimp farmer, the same level of vertical integration it has on shrimp, said Richard Ingversen, sales manager with its Scandinavian division CPF Denmark. Read more of this post

In early June 2011, Thuan An Production Trading and Service Company (TAFISHCO) has organized a meeting to discuss about the linkage in pangasius production. In which, the company plans to apply a vertical linkage in pangasius production across An Giang – a province in Mekong Delta – with an aim to control food safety, environment management, traceability, and to assure profits for all parties in the linkage and improve the value of Vietnam pangasius, Nguyen Thi Hue Trinh – TAFISHCO’s General Director said. Read more of this post

Like this:

Up to 12th May 2011, 45 pangasius farms with the total area of over 1,000 hectares in Vietnam have been certificated by GlobalGAP. These farms belong to 24 enterprises.

GlobalGAP sets voluntary standards for certification of agricultural products (livestock, aquaculture..) around the globe to ensure food safety and hygiene. The standards cover the process of the certified product from farm inputs until the product leaves the farm. The increasing number of certificated pangasius farms proves that improved quality of the fish. The certification makes great contribution to bolster global consumers’ confidence in Vietnam pangasius products, to expand more potential export markets for the fish. Read more of this post

After years of seemingly unstoppable growth, the value of Pangasius exports from Vietnam has reached a plateau, according to Dr. Nguyen Huu Dzung, VP of the VASEP.

The turning point was 2008, he said, when total export sales hit USD 1.45 billion. (They reacahed USD 1.34 billion in 2009 and USD 1.43 billion last year.)

However, during the same period, the value of exports to the EU, Vietnam’s major market for pangasius products, fell from USD 581 million in 2008 to USD 539 million in 2009 and USD 511 million in 2010. In 2008 and 2009, the volume of pangasius exported to the EU remained steady at 224,000 metric tons, but there was a slight drop in 2010 due to less fish being farmed. Read more of this post

Like this:

From 2004 to now, Ben Tre Seafood Joint Stock Company (Beseaco) has annually participated in Vietfish show where they found a lot of new customers for their clam products.

According to BESEACO, at Vietfish 2011, the company continues to display and introduce two main export items including pangasius fillet and clam. The company also makes an appointment with some partners from EU, Asia and the U.S at the trade show. Read more of this post

Like this:

Organized by Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish Exhibition 2011 give priority to medium and small seafood companies from the North and Central of Vietnam as South Ha Tinh Seaproduct Import and Export Joint Stock Company (SHATICO). They can take part in the show without fee. Read more of this post

As the world’s biggest shrimp exporter, Thailand employs advanced shrimp farming technology such as bio-security farming, a system that increase yield and ensure high quality. However, farmers manager biosecured farms differently depending on their capital.

The attractive price of Thai shrimp will encourage farmers to breed more shrimp in pursuit of high profits. But fast-expanding farm areas could damage the business as farmers might ignore quality and bring about oversupply, leading to problems when the price drops, warned Somsak Paneetatyasai, president of the Thai Shrimp Association. Read more of this post

Tariffs on imports of seafood raw material into the European Union must go, said the head of the EU Fish Processors and Traders Association (AIPCE-CEP). “Measures that seek to protect EU markets from third country competition are outdated and should no longer be part of EU policy,” the AIPCE-CEP said on June 15

Today, the majority of seafood raw material imported into the EU for processing is subject to trade barriers such as import duties, Guus Pastor, president of the AIPCE-CEP, told IntraFish. Although there are exceptions, such as cod from the Barents Sea, the majority remains subject to prohibitive duties. Read more of this post

Like this:

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP) on June 14 organised a conference to report export situation as well as the serious shortage of materials.

Truong Dinh Hoe, general Secretary of VASEP, reported that the shrimp export so gar has accounted for 35.5 percent of the country’s total seafood export turnover. Mekong Delta now has 213,500 hectares of shrimp raising area, expected to reach the output of 213,000 tonnes – the great supply for export. But, due to epidemic, 52,270 ha of shrimp raising area here was damaged seriously for which the processors are facing shortage of materials for export. Read more of this post

Add SGS to the list of auditing bodies designated by the Global Aquaculture Alliance to perform Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) audits.

BAP signed an agreement with SGS in which the Switzerland-based firm will perform facility inspections and certification audits for fish farms, hatcheries, processing plants and feed mills that apply for BAP certification, the GAA announced on Tuesday. Read more of this post